Much Ado about this World – Dhyana Yoga 2

What is the connection between sa.nnyaasa and yoga? In the following verse, the Lord explains the relationship between the two.

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव ।
न ह्यसंन्यस्तसंकल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ॥

yaM sa.nnyaasamiti praahuryogaM taM viddhi paaNDava .
na hyasa.nnyastasaN^kalpo yogii bhavati kashchana .6.2.

O Pandava, understand that sa.nnyaasa is the same as karmayoga because no one can become a yogi without renouncing the thoughts of the world.

paaNDava – son of paaNDdu, Arjuna :
yaM – which :
sa.nnyaasaM iti praahuH – they speak of as sa.nnyaasaa :
taM – that :
viddhi – you know :
yogaM – to be the same as yoga
kashchana – anyone :
yogii na bhavati – does not become a yogi :
asa.nnyastasa.nkalpaH – who has not given up thoughts of the world

Only a person who has given up the thoughts of the world, likes and dislikes, desires and attachments can be called a yogi and so anyone who is a yogi will also be a sa.nnyaasi.

Suppose the first prize in a competition is a car. Immediately we want to participate and try to get it. At the same time if it is a toy car, we will not be interested because, we know that a toy car is worthless. On the other hand, if a child is given a toy car, he will have a lot of value for it, because to him it seems very precious. The truth is all things which seem to have value for us, be it a house, a car or money are impermanent. Our job, family and status are also perishable, because our body is itself perishable. Like the child which is attracted to a toy car, not knowing that it is worthless and perishable, we are also fascinated by all these illusions of the world, and do not realize that they are not going to give us any permanent joy.

We not only become attached to all this, but also pray to God for such things, which are totally worthless. Once a Sardarji was very poor and he decided and go and pray God for some money. He went and prayed, “Oh! God, please let me win the first prize in the lottery”. Then the results came and the sardar found that some one else had won. He again went to the temple and said, “Oh God, you did not listen to me last week, at least this week, let me win the first prize in the lottery”. In the second week also somebody else won and so the sardar went to God the third week. He was very angry. He said, “God, I am such a dedicated servant of yours and yet you do not listen to me. This time, I will not move from here, till you promise me”. Suddenly, there was lightning in the sky and a voice thundered from above. It was God and he said, “Sardar, I will give you the prize, but, you have to buy a lottery ticket, for heaven’s sake”.

True detachment from all worldly objects can come only when we fully realize that they are impermanent. The story of King Janaka shows what is true detachment. Once the sage Suka had camped in the outskirts of King Janaka’s kingdom. King Janaka used to visit him every day to listen to the discourse. He used to go, not as a king, but as a humble disciple and he used to attend the discourses regularly. Suka realized that the king was truly devoted and he used to wait for the king before he started his discourses. When the other disciples saw this they were jealous and thought that the sage Suka did this only to please the king. One day, sage Suka decided to teach them a lesson. He created a fire by his powers and then in the middle of the discourse told the king that there was a fire. The king had his eyes closed and was in total concentration and he did not hear. The other disciples who could see flames started running helter skelter. Some of them came and said that the palace itself was on fire, but the king did not hear any of these. He was lost in total concentration.

The other disciples, who had supposedly renounced everything, had all run away to safeguard their belongings while the king who owned the entire kingdom had total disregard for all the material possessions. The people who went came back in a little while to report that there was no fire, but they realized that it was lesson that the sage had taught them. It is not enough to merely say that you have no attachment, but to show it in practice is more important. It is also possible to have all the wealth in the world and yet be totally detached from it and use it for the welfare of others, just as King Janaka did.

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